This invention relates to fishing apparatus and more particularly to downrigger release devices for releasably attaching a fishing tackle line to the downrigger weight line to maintain the line at the desired depth while trolling and for releasing the line when a fish strikes.
In the past, fishing apparatus particularly of the type used in sport fishing where a heavy is utilized at the end of a downrigger cable or line have been bulky, cumbersome and usually include one or more moving parts operable to release the fishing line from the downrigger. Release devices having moving parts are susceptible to corrosion, breakdowns and the loss of such parts through vibration and the like, all of which prevented the proper and timely release of the line from the downrigger at the time when a fish strikes. Typically also, devices known in the prior art usually firmly either grasp the line by pinching the line between two points or include a fitting on the line which in turn is fixed to an accessory mounted on the downrigger. As a result, when a stike occurs, a sudden force is applied to release the line from the holding mechanism which often caused the line to break. Since most of the prior devices use frictional holding or other mechanical devices to hold the line, it precludes the the use of light fishing tackle since there is a great possibility of breaking the line.